Update

Apparently I need to schedule time to blog if I'm going to really do this.  It's been almost 2 months since my last post, how terrible. Here's the updates...

Weight: 178.1    Total Loss:  8 lbs since 11/24/12
Measurements
Chest: 38"     Down 1"
Waist: 40"     Down .5"
Hips: 39.75"     (Didn't measure in Nov)
Butt: 45.25"     Up .25"
R. Arm: 14.56"   Down .25"
L. Arm: 14"        Same
R. Thigh: 27.5"    Down .75"
L. Thigh: 27.5"    Down  1"

Overall, as you can see, my weight and measurements are down.  However, if I was exercising regularly, instead of sporadically I feel my loss would be much greater.

I've also recently become interested in juice fasting.  Through the recommendation of my brother I watched the documentary Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead.  Joe Cross' story is amazing.  Even more amazing is the change Phil Staples makes.  I have juice fasted about once a year for 2-3 days, for the past 6 years, and often get the dreaded headache mentioned in the film.  I have come to realize, through the documentary and other research I have done, the way I was fasting was not the correct way for my body.  I was only consuming 8 oz of juice 5-6 times a day.  The first time two times I consumed only juice (no water or anything else).  I realized much of my headache those two times came from being dehydrated more than lack of solid food.  Since then I have modified my juice fasts to include as much water as I want, but have stuck with a strict intake of juice.  Although never specifically mentioned in the documentary Joe and Phil seemed to be consuming more than a strict 8 oz of juice each meal.

My brother has been an inspiration (click to read his story) for me to do another juice fast, for at least 5 days this time, and try to better gauge the amount of juice I consume by how I feel instead of a strict amount.   I am hoping to do this the last week of March when I'm on Spring Break for school.  This will allow me to be home and make juice instead of trying to make the juice at home and take it to work.  Depending on how the juicing makes me feel I may continue on a mostly vegetarian diet after that to continue cleansing my system.  I have been vegetarian several times over my lifetime for different reasons, and find at least once a year I crave going back to it.  Although occasionally I enjoy meat, I find I don't crave it or even need it to feel satisfied. (How very unAmerican of me...haha).  I am definitely not an extremist when it comes to vegetarianism, but feel it is a part of me that keeps surfacing throughout the years.

I'm going to work on posting more often, and sharing my blog more with others.  I want this to be a learning experience for myself and hope to inspire others to join me in my quest for a better more healthy life for myself.